Generally, with respect to various testing devices including clinical testing devices, machine tools or automobiles, or various types of other devices requiring precise operations, manufacturers/dealers of such devices, after delivery of the devices, continuously perform maintenance so that performance of the devices is maintained and safety is secured. Particularly, the occurrence of a failure in a device may hinder an operator of the device from performing a smooth operation or also may cause safety hazards to the operator. Therefore, with a view to improving customer satisfaction, suppressing an increase in maintenance cost and securing safety, it has been of great importance to perform a periodic check of a device and advance replacement of a consumable component and the like so as to prevent a failure from being caused.
Conventionally, it is generally the case that times at which a periodic check and replacement of a component are to be performed are set suitably by a human being based on a past experience rule. Alternatively, there also are cases where such times are set based on life data for each component.
However, in the case where the time for a check/replacement is set based simply on a past experience rule or life data for each component or the like as described above, since there are life variations even among components of the same type due to the differences in usage conditions and the like, the following problem may arise. That is, contrary to expectations, a failure may be caused before the time for a check/replacement, or conversely, a component that still has sufficient life may have to be replaced, thereby resulting adversely in an increase in the maintenance cost, which has been disadvantageous.